Railway-track torpedo



F. L. WAN'KLYN.

RAILWAY TRACK ToRPEoo.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1921.

1,438,201 Patented B62121922.

Patented Dec. l2, 1922.

- nnnnnnrc L. WANKLYN, or MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

RAILWAY-TRACK Tonrnno.

y' Application sied June' 8, 192i.v serial no. 476.043.

T0 all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERIC WANK- LYN, of the city of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, a subject of the King of Great Britain, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Railway- Track Torpedoes; and l do hereby decla-re that the following yis a full, clear, and eXact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to torpedoes for use along the railway track as signals for approaching trains andihas particular reference to torpedoes made from non-metallic material." AThe object of the invention is to provide amore eflicient torpedo of simple construction and one which will embody in itself a property for eX- pediting the explosion.

To this end the invention may be said to consist of a base having a shaped top, preferably molded, the margin of which and the corresponding` margin of the base, after the torpedo has been charged, are treated with a suitable substance to cause these contact ing portions to be sealed preferably by merging or adhering and thus produce an integral structure yabsolutely waterproof 1n all respects. The material l prefer to use is a specially treated celluloid to be sealed preferably by merging or adhering, known to the trade as pyralin and the sealing substance `is preferably acetone or a suitable cementing compound. ln addition to the waterproof nature of pyralin and itscapacity for being united one piece to another by merging, it is highly inflammable and augments the burning of the detonator and consequently enpedites the explosion. rThis container is fastened to a resilient spring clip'of metal or other substance having like properties preferably by a pyralin strip m and an iron rivet 79 both of which secure the clip to the underside of the container.

The container may be protected, if desired, by a covering of suitable waterproof. ing or heat resisting material, or both, such as asbestic cement or other substance having a like function.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate the same parts and wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a torpedo constructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 isa side* elevation thereof; Figurer?) is an endelevat'ion thereof; Figure .4 is a sectional view taken online -lFigure; Y f -f f Figurey 5 is a plan view' of the blank for forming the base of thecontainer.

Figure 6 is a plan viewrofl the blank `fo forming the topI of the'container;

Figure 7 is a sectional View of the top and the base of the container;

F lgure 8 is a detail'view of the pyralin stripfor securing'the` spring clip to `the` container;

Figure 9 is; a detail view of thefrve-tffor securing the clip to the container; and

l1 igure- 10 1s a detail view of the clip,

In the embodiment of my invention illusi trated the base is out to'v size from a sheet of pyralin or other celluloid and pyroxylin plastic material, and thetop or cover is also cut from the same material and 4of the same general shape as the base but sufficiently larger to h ave the same size when it is molded to .the shape Vol or any other shape suitable to form a receptacle for the deto nator e and flashlight powder y. Thus formed it presents a surrounding flange g adapted to it upon the margin of the base ZJ. The material pyralin, becauseof its cellulo-id content, lends itself readily to the merging. of the flange ofthe top d with the margin of the base by the use of acetone as a solvent. The spring clip for securing the torpedo upon 'the rail head isindicated at ,7c and preferably consists of a unitary length of dat springmetal bent to inverted lil-form with `turned in ends which engage the underside of the rail head. The middle portion of this clip is secured to the underside of the container in a position disposed trans 1 versely` thereto by a strip .of pyralin m and a rivet 29, the strip having openings ato permit the passage of the clip therethrough. Theparts are assembled by first attaching the base Z9 to the clip. by the fastening piece m, the latter being merged to the underside of the base by smearing the contacting face with acetone and then pressing them together. After the base land clip have been fastened together the torpedo is charged and the contacting faces of the flange ofthe top i and the margin arel smeared with acetone y and are then pressed together. The'entire container is then coated with asbestos cement or otherv fire-resisting and durable subtances suitable to reinforce the container and at the same time render it lireproof.

The inflammable nature of the container with its {ire-resisting coating imparts to the torpedo an important advantage in that the burning` of the detonator and flash light powder are augmented and consequentl't7 the explosion expedited.

If desired the shape or' the container illustrated my be changed7 and other reinforcement substance employed without departing from the spirit omy invention.

T`"Vhat claim is as follows:

1. In a torpedo oit the type described` a container or a material oit Vthe class celluloid and pyroxylin plastic and a ire resistinn,` coating 'completelx/T covering the container. y

2. in a torpedo ot the type described, a container consisting` of pyralin with a proteoting coating completely covering' the 3. In a torpedo of the type described, a container consisting of a base and a chambered top or cover, said base and top being merged together.

t. n a torpedo of the type described,` a Container consisting of a pyralin base and a chambered pyralin topor cover said base and top being` :merged together.

5. A container for railway track torpedo consisting of a Hat base, a top comprising a hollow convex portion and a flat outwardly projecting flange surrounding said `portion and formed integrally therewith, saidilange being kmerged with the margin of the base.

6. A. container for a railway track torpedo, consisting oi a flat pyralin base, and a convex pyralin top having a 'fila-nge merged with the margin of the base.

In testimonT whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence ot two witnesses.

FREDERlC L. VAKLYN.

`i/Vitnessesr GORDON G. Cooiin,

WILLIAM J. C. HEwn'rsoN. 

